Artist of the Week – Israel Vibration

The three original members of Israel Vibration – Lacelle “Wiss” Bulgin, Cecil “Skelly” Spence and Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig – first met as children at Kingston’s Mona Rehabilitation Center, where all three were receiving treatment for polio. A shared spirituality and faith in Rastafari forged a friendship between them, helping to overcome the adversities of illness and poverty. Later expelled from the treatment center for their spiritual beliefs, the trio took to the streets of Kingston, where they harmonized for their suppers. By 1976, Wiss, Skelly and Apple had gained a sizeable following as well as the financial backing of Rastafari religious group the Twelve Tribes of Israel, who agreed to produce their first single.  Their conscious and deeply spiritual songs were adored instantly by the fans of “roots reggae” all over the world.

Although the group spent a few years apart, they reunited at the encouragement of Doctor Dread of RAS Records. He was an admirer of the group’s early work, and citing Marcus Garvey’s belief that “unity is strength,” encouraged the group to work together again. This began the long history of releases on RAS, which received worldwide notoriety and launched an international tour schedule to reach their far reaching and loyal fan base.  Their powerful live performances are not easily forgotten.

Highlights include the reunion album Strength of My Life, which paired them with legendary backing band the Roots Radics, and found both their sound and message as strong and relevant as ever. A number of albums, including Praises, IV and On the Rock were accompanied by full-length dub sets.

In 2007, Israel Vibration (currently comprised of Skelly & Wiss) released Stamina on Doctor Dread’s newest label, Tafari Records. They continue to tour the world, performing over 100 concerts per year to capacity crowds, and headlining many of the biggest reggae festivals. Below are two videos from this release to enjoy!